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Pixellot Productions On Rise

September 19, 2018

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

A year ago, Pixellot – the automated production solution for schools wishing to stream live video of their athletic events on the NFHS Network and MHSAA.tv – was in use at six schools across Michigan.

With the new school year underway, nearly two dozen schools are actively streaming events using Pixellot, with half of those schools streaming indoor and outdoor events. Several schools have more than two Pixellot units in place.

“Schools are finding that Pixellot provides a great opportunity to get a lot of their games out to their fans in a way they could never achieve,” said Mark Uyl, executive director of the MHSAA.  “We have some schools which are using a mix of their traditional, student-staffed, School Broadcast Program efforts along with Pixellot to be able to add subvarsity coverage; and schools going exclusively with Pixellot with installations at multiple venues.”

Pixellot units use from two to four High Definition cameras that cover the length of the playing surface and then focus on the ball and player movement to deliver the action. The unit communicates with the scoreboard to insert a time and score graphic on the screen. Ambient audio is picked up by the device, but the commentary of the public address announcer or the radio style play-by-play of an in-person announcing team also can be patched in.

All that has to be done from a school’s perspective is type in the event schedule and promote the fact that the games are available on MHSAA.tv. Pixellot does the rest. The unit also can be set up to isolate a camera on a fixed location, which allows for activities like cheer and wrestling to be streamed.

Schools actively engaged in Pixellot productions now include: Ann Arbor Greenhills, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, Brighton, Calumet, Dollar Bay, Frankenmuth, Freeland, Fremont, Grand Blanc, Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, Harrison, Howell, Kalamazoo Christian, Macomb Lutheran North, Manchester, Norway, Novi, Otisville-LakeVille, Ovid-Elsie, Plainwell, Saginaw Heritage, Saline, Stevensville Lakeshore, Warren DeLaSalle and Williamston. Schools using indoor and outdoor units include Cranbrook Kingswood, Frankenmuth, Freeland, Grand Blanc, Howell, Manchester, Norway, Novi, Ovid-Elsie, Plainwell, Saginaw Heritage, Saline and Stevensville Lakeshore. Additional schools will have their Pixellot units coming online soon.

More than 70 percent of the programming taking place this week on MHSAA.tv will be Pixellot productions, featuring a football game Friday evening with two of the top-ranked Division 1 teams facing off for the top spot in the Saginaw Valley League’s Red division. Grand Blanc hosts Davison at 7 p.m. Both teams are 4-0 overall and 2-0 in league play, tied with Lapeer for first place.

Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by School Broadcast Program members and the NFHS Network:

Tuesday - Sept. 18

Wednesday - Sept. 19 

Thursday - Sept. 20

Friday - Sept. 21

Saturday - Sept. 22

Monday - Sept. 24

Tuesday - Sept. 25

All sporting events – live or delayed - are available on a subscription basis only for their first 72 hours online. They become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.

NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $9.95 a month. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. School Broadcast Program participants also will be selling Season and Annual Passes at a discounted rate. A portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program. 

Highlights of games broadcast during the past week by MHSAA School Broadcast Program contributors feature a pair of close football contests – Marquette’s 36-35 overtime win over Escanaba and Howell topping Novi, 21-17 – and a volleyball match with Lake Orion defeating Oxford, 3-0.

Highlights can be found each week on the MHSAA.tv website, the home page of the MHSAA Website, and the MHSAASports Channel on YouTube.

A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA website.

P-W/New Lothrop Tops MHSAA TV List

November 13, 2019

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

A monster rematch of the last two Division 7 champions will highlight the schedule of MHSAA Football Playoff Regional Finals streaming live video this week on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network.

Undoubtedly the game of the week statewide, 2016 and 2017 champion Pewamo-Westphalia (12-0) travels to 2018 winner New Lothrop (12-0) for a 7 p.m. game Friday (Nov. 15).  The teams have split their last two meetings, P-W winning a Pre-District contest 35-14 in 2017 and New Lothrop rebounding in the Regional Final last year, 26-14.

The game is one of nine being shown on the NFHS Network this weekend, in addition to three games being streamed live on the Prep Zone.

The Prep Zone games can be seen on FoxSportsDetroit.com and on FOX Sports Go! for handheld and streaming devices like Roku. Here are this weekend’s Prep Zone games, all at 7 p.m. Friday:

  • Utica Eisenhower at Davison (Div. 1)
  • Port Huron at Birmingham Seaholm (Div. 2)
  • Allen Park at Chelsea (Div. 3)

MHSAA.tv has live streaming video Thursday (Nov. 14) of Volleyball Regional Finals at Howell, St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, Bear Lake and Plymouth Christian Academy.
 
Here’s the complete schedule of upcoming events on MHSAA.tv:
 
Thursday - Nov. 14
2019 MHSAA Div 1 Volleyball Regional Final | Macomb L’Anse Creuse North v. Fraser  - 6 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Volleyball Regional Final | Southfield Christian vs. Cardinal Mooney  - 6 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Volleyball Regional Final | Leland vs. Traverse City Christian  - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 1 Volleyball Regional Final | Ann Arbor Skyline v. Novi  - 7 PM
 
Friday - Nov. 15
2019 MHSAA Div 5 Football Regional Final | Kalamazoo United v. Lansing Catholic  - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Football Regional Final | Pontiac Notre Dame Prep v. Flint Powers Catholic  - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 7 Football Regional Final | Pewamo-Westphalia v. New Lothrop  - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 2 Football Regional Final | Livonia Churchill v. Walled Lake Western  - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 2 Football Regional Final| Portage Northern v. Muskegon Mona Shores  - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 8 Football Regional Final | Lenawee Christian v. Reading  - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Football Regional Final | Hudsonville Unity Christian v. Paw Paw  - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 6 Football Regional Final | Onsted v. Hillsdale  - 7 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 1 Football Regional Final | Brighton v. Hudsonville  - 7 PM
 
Saturday - Nov. 16
2019 MHSAA Div 6 Football Regional Final | Calumet v. Maple City Glen Lake  - 1 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 4 Football Regional Final | Cadillac v. Grand Rapids Catholic Central  - 1 PM
2019 MHSAA Div 6 Football Regional Final | Monroe SMCC v. Montrose  - 2:45 PM
 
Now in its 11th year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. Pixellot – the NFHS Network’s automated streaming solution – is used by schools wishing to live stream games but lacking the ability to staff the events. The SBP also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.

NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $10.99 a month. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. School Broadcast Program participants benefit as a portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to its program. 

A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website.